Royal Purple Raceway (Houston) April 20-22

The JEGS Mail Order team will be well represented at this weekend’s NHRA SpringNationals by Jeg Coughlin Jr., who will be racing in Pro Stock as a member of the Elite Motorsports team.

Jeg Coughlin Jr. will continue his pursuit of a sixth NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock title (and seventh overall) at this weekend’s event in Las Vegas. Jeg Jr. will be driving a new Chevy Camaro entry in this weekend’s event. The Elite team tested the car in Tulsa before departing for Houston

Jeg Coughlin Jr. is once again racing as a teammate to two-time world champ Erica Enders. The Elite team also includes Pro Stock racers Vincent Nobile and Alex Laughlin. Jeg Jr.’s crew chief is multi-talented Rickie Jones, who has extensive experience as a driver, chassis builder, and tuner. The Elite team also includes crew chiefs Rick Jones, Mark Ingersoll and Brian “Lump” Self, who regularly share data.

After the first four events of the season in Pomona, Phoenix, and Gainesville, Jeg Jr. enters this week’s event at the No. 11 ranked driver in the Pro Stock class.

Jeg Jr. won his first Pro Stock race in Houston in 1997 when he defeated Mark Osborne in the final. It was his second start in the Pro Stock class. Jeg Jr. has also earned Pro Stock titles at Royal Purple Raceway in 1998, 2000, and 2010, beating Tom Martino, Jim Yates, and Allen Johnson, respectively

In addition to his four Pro Stock wins, Jeg was also runner-up at the SpringNationals in 2009 and 2017. Last year, he lost to eventual world champ Bo Butner in the final.  

As a sportsman racer, Jeg Jr. also won the Super Stock title in Houston in 1994, giving him a total of five wins at the facility.

In 20 career appearances at Royal Purple Raceway, Jeg Coughlin Jr. has a 37-16 record in Pro Stock eliminations.

Including Royal Purple Raceway, Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event at 24 different facilities making him the all-time leader in that category. The only current venues on the NHRA Mello Yello tour where he has not won are the tracks in Norwalk and Epping.

Jeg Jr. is a five-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock champion. He earned season titles in 2000, 2002, 2007-2008 and 2013. As a sportsman driver, Jeg Jr. also claimed the NHRA Super Gas championship in 1992.

Jeg Jr. is NHRA’s all-time leader in holeshot victories with 101. Fiver of those holeshot wins have come in Houston.

During his Pro Stock career, Jeg Jr. has competed in 410 events and has a round-win record of 609-335. He has red-lighted just 22 times and failed to qualify just 16 times.

Jeg Jr. has been the No. 1 qualifier in Pro Stock 23 times in his career including the 2017 Houston race. All told, Jeg has been the low qualifier three times in Houston, 2007, 2013, and 2017.

The Coughlin family, including John, Troy, Mike, Jeg Jr. and Troy Jr. has combined for 116 NHRA national event victories since 1990. The Coughlin's have won in nine different eliminators including Pro Stock, Pro Stock Truck, Pro Mod, Comp, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster.

TEAM JEGS - By the Numbers

5      Wins for Jeg Coughlin Jr. in Houston, (four in Pro Stock and one in Super Stock).

7      Different classes where Jeg Coughlin Jr. has won at least one NHRA national event title (the only driver to do so)

10    Number of classes where the Coughlin family has earned an NHRA national event victory

101  Holeshot wins by Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the Pro Stock class (tops among NHRA pro drivers)